Cocotte sat to the side, resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
Based on what Erica had said and the elemental turbulence she had sensed within the rift, it was easy to deduce that Viktor had gone to challenge another Calamity.
Although the probability of the Wind Calamity actively targeting a human girl was extremely low, it wasn’t zero. And more importantly, this wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.
Back in the Mage's Capital, Viktor had similarly challenged the Wood Calamity. Before that, Erica had also exhibited strange symptoms—her body covered in blooming flowers, not due to any illness but as a manifestation of dense wood elemental energy.
Thinking this through, Cocotte couldn’t help but find Viktor’s actions absurd. For the Wind Calamity to transport a girl all the way from the northern frontier to the southern regions of the empire, Viktor must have known something. Perhaps he had orchestrated it deliberately.
Cocotte was now certain. This blonde girl must have some connection to the Calamities.
She propped her chin on her hand, squinting at the frail Erica.
At that moment, Aurelianne stood up gracefully.
"I understand now," she said, looking at Erica. "Erica du Cloye, first of all, I must apologize for misunderstanding your relationship with the teacher. Secondly, I want to express my gratitude for your sacrifice. Your presence saved tens of thousands of residents in the northern frontier."
Aurelianne slightly bowed to Erica.
Erica was taken aback, feeling overwhelmed. After all, the person apologizing and thanking her was none other than the imperial princess. And she didn’t even fully understand what had happened.
She tried to stand and return the gesture, but her weak body and trembling legs failed her. However, it wasn’t necessary, as Aurelianne straightened up again.
This time, though, her gaze carried a subtle hostility, leaving Erica puzzled.
"If the teacher went to save you, it means you hold an important place in his heart. But I won’t lose to you," Aurelianne declared confidently, her voice resolute. "Soon, the Royal Academy of Magic will begin its new term, and the academy will be recruiting new students. I will enroll then and join the teacher’s class."
Under Erica’s stunned gaze, Aurelianne raised her head proudly. "I will prove to the teacher who his best student truly is."
With that, she turned elegantly and walked away. "Cocotte, if the teacher returns, please relay my message. I’ll go rest now."
Cocotte, lying on her cloud, yawned and mumbled a lazy "Mm."
Gwen also gave Erica a conflicted look before following Aurelianne to escort her. The Crown Prince had already prepared accommodations for Aurelianne. As her personal knight, Gwen had to stay by her side and protect her at all times.
As the two left, Erica remained dazed. Having just woken up, she was utterly confused by the situation.
In the now quiet room, only she and Cocotte remained. The former elven councilor still looked drowsy, her head sinking into the cloud.
Watching Cocotte’s sleepy demeanor, Erica also began to feel her mind grow heavy. She wanted to lie down again.
As she struggled to stand, Cocotte suddenly muttered in a half-asleep voice, "Hmm, that power inside you—make good use of it. Who knows, maybe soon I’ll witness the youngest Tier 3 mage ever."
Erica froze, stunned. The youngest… Tier 3 mage?
That title originally belonged to Viktor. Achieving Tier 3 at the age of twenty, his genius reputation had spread throughout the empire. Could she possibly break Professor Viktor’s record?
Her heart pounded with excitement. If she could, wouldn’t that bring her closer to Professor Viktor?
"…No, it’s not enough," Erica thought, recalling Viktor’s godlike strength in the illusionary realm. The sheer power he displayed, even compared to the black dragon in the northern frontier, was unmatched. After all, Viktor had saved her from that monstrous beast.
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Clutching her chest, Erica felt her heart race even faster. She wasn’t sure if it was Cocotte’s words that thrilled her or something else entirely.
Suddenly, Cocotte seemed to remember something and jolted awake. She looked at Erica. "Wait, are you a student at the Royal Academy of Magic?"
Erica, confused by Cocotte’s intense reaction, nodded slowly. "Yes… that’s correct."
"The academy run by Rachel Azure?"
"Yes, Rachel is our headmaster."
Cocotte blinked, seemingly unable to process this, holding her head in despair. "Wait, so the academy reopening means Viktor will go back to teaching?"
Erica tilted her head, puzzled. "Isn’t that common sense?"
"…" Cocotte buried her face into the cloud, looking utterly defeated. She had promised Viktor to become his teaching assistant, thinking the job would only last until the academy’s break. But Viktor had never told her the academy would reopen.
"…Maybe I should just blow up your academy," she muttered.
"Please don’t," Erica replied earnestly.
…
Viktor stood atop a high tower, gazing into the distance. The howling wind made his black coat, lined with white patterns, flutter noisily.
This was the first line of defense against the Monster Rift, situated at the empire’s border. Viktor had bypassed the guards to reach the tower, hands in his pockets, surveying the desolation beyond.
After a long while, the sound of wings flapping broke the silence. A black crow descended from the gloomy sky, circling twice before landing on Viktor’s shoulder.
"That was exhausting," Vega complained as it perched. It had never imagined the distance from the Monster Rift to the frontlines would be so vast. As an inconspicuous crow, it had flown all the way back on its own.
"But I did find something interesting," Vega added.
"What is it?" Viktor asked, not looking at the crow.
Vega grinned mischievously. "Want a pair of wings or maybe a tail? Trust me, my surgery is flawless. I’ve never failed—not once, because I’ve never tried."
A chill spread through the air, so intense that even the distant guards felt an inexplicable shiver. Clearly, Vega’s joke wasn’t funny, and even those who couldn’t hear it felt the cold.
Viktor didn’t respond, turning instead and heading down the tower stairs, Vega still perched on his shoulder.
"Sometimes, I think you’re quite sentimental," Vega remarked, its tone oddly sincere.
"Why do you say that?" Viktor asked, his pace steady.
"Because you came all the way here to pick me up."
His steps slowed slightly. "I was afraid some bird might get lost on its way back."
"You’re right, but I’m not just some crow," Vega retorted.
A gust of wind swept across the high skies, stirring the dark clouds into waves.
…
A few days later, news spread across the empire.
A powerful creature, suspected to be of dragon lineage, had appeared in the northern frontier and flown south. It was slain by Viktor Kravina, a Tier 4 mage and current councilor of the Mage Council, with ease, thereby resolving a crisis in the southern regions of the empire.
The only casualty was the Second Prince’s army, which was annihilated. The prince himself was severely injured and recovering.
Meanwhile, in the southern empire, Viktor Kravina continued to dominate the headlines. Princess Aurelianne had led a demi-human squad into the Monster Rift, achieving extraordinary feats and even defeating the boss of the thirtieth layer of the Abyss.
This sparked widespread discussion, as demi-humans were typically treated as slaves within the empire. The princess’s success in cultivating such a strong squad caused a stir in public opinion.
At the same time, the southern empire’s most powerful Beast Guild announced its allegiance to the Kravina family, thrusting them once again into the spotlight.
…
In the north, within the Delin family estate.
The Second Prince lay quietly on a wooden bed, his body wrapped in bandages. The crackling fireplace nearby provided some warmth.
Propped up against the bed, he held a sheet of paper filled with black text. The battle with the monstrous creature had left him gravely injured, forcing him to recuperate within the Delin estate—a situation that felt more like house arrest than recovery.
As his eyes scanned the newspaper, his pupils contracted sharply upon reading about Viktor’s defeat of the black dragon. It was as if he had seen something utterly unbelievable.
"Reading the news, are we?" a voice called out.
The prince turned toward the door, where Kevla Delin leaned casually, her head tilted and a sly smile on her face.
"Nothing surprising," she said. "After all, that’s my brother-in-law."
The prince chuckled weakly, setting the paper aside with a sigh. "Lady Delin, what will it take for you to let me return to the capital?"
"That’s simple," Kevla replied, her tone laced with danger as she narrowed her eyes. "Tell me why you reek of demonic energy."
"""